I know there have been various versions of this conversation on here before, but I'm wondering if anyone has any good tricks for filling large water jugs from the lake. We use those large 5 gallon collapsible cheapo jugs, which work great for us, but they're hard to fill. We usually use some combination of "scooping" the water with the jug mouth and then using Nalgenes to fill it the rest of the way up.

It seems to me if you could find a way to keep the plastic un-collapsed and allow a way for the air to escape as the water enters it could be MUCH easier and quicker than our current method.

We're not very likely to spend a bunch of money on a different (better) solution though. Any engineers out there with good tricks for this?

You could fill a lightweight silnylon stuff sack as a bucket to pour into the jug.

quote jeroldharter: "You could fill a lightweight silnylon stuff sack as a bucket to pour into the jug."

That sounds like a great idea? I'll be watching for more. Main "Tip" I would give is for everyone to be careful and maybe kneel and get center of gravity low when fetching water. Typically people are getting water in an empty, less stable boat and when you get that head outside the gunwales....
I like this illustration by Darren Bush (Rutabagas)
Keeping your balance in a canoe

Good point about stability. Another trick for filling up water would be to reach forward over the bow if in a two man canoe so that it is easier to keep mass centered. Otherwise you could collect water by wringing our your clothes.

quote jeroldharter: "Good point about stability. Another trick for filling up water would be to reach forward over the bow if in a two man canoe so that it is easier to keep mass centered. Otherwise you could collect water by wringing our your clothes."

FUNNY (LOL)!

Keep the jug in the boat and use a Nalgene to dip the water and pour into the jug.

Just fill a collapisable bucket, or 2, hang it on the yoke, paddle back to your site and pour it when back on shore - or filter it out of the bucket with a gravity system into the 5 gallon container.

quote Grandma L: "Just fill a collapisable bucket, or 2, hang it on the yoke, paddle back to your site and pour it when back on shore - or filter it out of the bucket with a gravity system into the 5 gallon container. "

+1 exactly. Collapsible 2 gallon bucket for collection -> filter-> 5gallon el cheapo jug.

Trying to fill those 5 gallon collapsible jugs directly from the lake is impossible. The water pressure collapses them when submerged. One must use some sort of filling vessel.

quote Grizzlyman: "

quote Grandma L: "Just fill a collapisable bucket, or 2, hang it on the yoke, paddle back to your site and pour it when back on shore - or filter it out of the bucket with a gravity system into the 5 gallon container. "

+1 exactly. Collapsible 2 gallon bucket for collection -> filter-> 5gallon el cheapo jug. "

Great minds (with experience) think a like. About 30 years ago - I learned from some difficult experiences.

Besides, 5 gallons of water ain't light - about 40 lbs. to lift back in the canoe!

First few trips we used the 2.5 gallon collapsible jugs. Brother managed to flip canoe trying to fill it. Have since switched to the katadyn base camp bag with sawyer filter. Very quick and easy to fill.

quote boonie: "Besides, 5 gallons of water ain't light - about 40 lbs. to lift back in the canoe!"

Yup not getting this thread at all. Crazy town to try get all your water needs at one time for various purposes. When I wash dishes I have a collapsible sink.......scoop a gallon and wash. Drinking water........a platypus clean stream, scoop another gallon and drink. Nothing over a gallon at a time.

Walking up the bank with much more than a gallon at a time puts one at risk IMHO for a stumble or a slip and fall.

quote boonie: "Besides, 5 gallons of water ain't light - about 40 lbs. to lift back in the canoe!"

Yup not getting this thread at all. Crazy town to try get all your water needs at one time for various purposes. When I wash dishes I have a collapsible sink.......scoop a gallon and wash. Drinking water........a platypus clean stream, scoop another gallon and drink. Nothing over a gallon at a time.

Walking up the bank with much more than a gallon at a time puts one at risk IMHO for a stumble or a slip and fall.

I don't bother with getting water while in the canoe anymore.

Just use a cook pot to scoop water into a collapsible bucket from shore and then filter, boil or heat it from there based on what I need. I have heard stories and had a couple of weird moments filling jugs from a canoe.

I use a Sawyer Squeeze filter that can be back pumped for cleaning if it gets clogged. Never really has but it makes filling the bucket near shore less problematic.

quote mastertangler: "

quote boonie: "Besides, 5 gallons of water ain't light - about 40 lbs. to lift back in the canoe!"

Yup not getting this thread at all. Crazy town to try get all your water needs at one time for various purposes. When I wash dishes I have a collapsible sink.......scoop a gallon and wash. Drinking water........a platypus clean stream, scoop another gallon and drink. Nothing over a gallon at a time.


Walking up the bank with much more than a gallon at a time puts one at risk IMHO for a stumble or a slip and fall. "

Well, "Different strokes." Personally, I'm old school and always get my water away from shore because when I was "Taught" that was the way to do it. I don't filter, I'm just careful where I get it from. In a pinch, I have the little "Filter straw" in my First Aid kit, though. Worked for me since 1984 without any water born illness. I also will use water at lakeside if I plan on boiling it for dishes, coffee, etc.

I too usually have the collapsible jug, but ours is 2.5 gallons. Get it half full, then dip a Nalgene several times to top it off. I'll keep watching for better ideas.

I hear you OP........Indeed there are some significant advantages to getting water well away from shore especially if you don't filter. I was picturing lifting a 5 gallon bucket over the gunnels. Although I am generally fairly tolerant (do what you want) that act seems dopey at best. And then you have to carry it up a slippery bank.

I like what you are doing (unless my "other paddler" leans over at the wrong time) but I might even do 2 two gallon containers so I could walk up the bank with one in each hand for a bit better balance.

But I am generally alone so my water needs are easily managed a gallon at a time.

I use 2 containers for water. A one gallon for filtered water and only filtered water. The other is a five gallon collapsible that I fill from shore for all non-consumption uses. The method I use is to dunk the container spout up and allow all air out. Then by turning so the spout is facing down, I gently pull the sides out. By continually changing positions on the sides I slowly "inflate" the container with water. I don't get it completely full this way but I don't want to carry 40 pounds of water either. I can usually get it 2/3 full in a couple of minutes. If the location I do this from appears to have clean water, I will sometimes filter water from one container to the other.

Coffee pot to fill the jugs works okay. Lifting a 5 gallon jug and its 40 lbs over the side is really no big deal as long as your partner is aware of when you're doing the lift. Been doing it for many years.

That said, we are always after a better solution for quicker filling and the closest we've come are dry bags with the roll-and-snap tops and a DIY spigot installed. Very few ready-made 5 gallon sizes out there that fill the bill perfectly.

quote mastertangler: "I hear you OP........Indeed there are some significant advantages to getting water well away from shore especially if you don't filter. I was picturing lifting a 5 gallon bucket over the gunnels. Although I am generally fairly tolerant (do what you want) that act seems dopey at best. And then you have to carry it up a slippery bank.
I like what you are doing (unless my "other paddler" leans over at the wrong time) but I might even do 2 two gallon containers so I could walk up the bank with one in each hand for a bit better balance.
But I am generally alone so my water needs are easily managed a gallon at a time. "

Yeah, 5 gallons is pretty big. I just remembered the time I retrieved a a buddy's 5 gallon bucket with a failed gamma lid. It couldn't have had 5 gallons in it, but it was HEAVY to try to pull over the gunwales.

I'll have to look at my little collapsible again. I was THINKING 2.5 gallons? Maybe it IS smaller?

After many years of tripping in the BWCA and Q, I've gone to bringing a couple of 1-gal empty thick plastic vinegar jugs for water. Fill one and run through sawyer gravity filter into the "clean" jug....then fill it again when I'm out fishing....the jugs are tied to the ends of the canoe with gear ties for portaging....simple and efficient....